Give It A Spin

That's Entertainment : The Angels

If you grew up in the late 1970's and 1980's in Australia, there was a smorgasbord of Aussie acts plying their trade in the pubs on every corner and there was something for everybody.

One band that was immediately adopted by Aussie audiences was a band whose debut single - though not a huge charting song - had a chorus that would go on to become a part of the Australian lexicon.

The Angels released Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again in 1976, and to this day, most people chant the 'unofficial' lyrics of the chorus.

Shall we try it?

Am I ever gonna see your face again? No way!!! Get fucked. FUCK OFF!!

It doesn't hurt that the guitars chime and the bass chugs along and the drum beat pounds in the back with that nasally, drawling vocal up front. And at first, when the chant began, The Angels thought they were being politely told by their 'adoring' crowds to exit ASAP and the extra lyrics took on a life of their own forcing national broadcasters to have nervous censors reaching for the beep button.

The core of the band were vocalist Doc Neeson and the brothers Brewster - Rick on lead guitar and John on rhythm guitar - with Chris Bailey on bass. Whilst Doc Neeson was wildly extroverted up front, Rick Brewster donned sunglasses and stood stone motionless at every gig.

Things moved quickly for the Angels, with an album a year for over a decade, endless tours and gigs, a string of catchy and/or rock out hit tunes, appearances on Countdown and the ups and downs associated with an Aussie act in the 1980's making it big in their own pond and trying their luck in the USA to mixed results. I guess, legacy wise, Aussies would - or should - know many of their hits - Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again, Take A Long Line, No Secrets, Marseilles, Shadow Boxer, Let The Night Roll On, Dogs Are Talking, Tear Me Apart - however, it's bands like Guns N Roses, and even Pearl Jam, who cite The Angels (as well as Rose Tattoo) as influences as how to rock out!

Their live show was always electric and NYE 1979 saw 100,000 watch them on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. It was cut short due to a riot occurring and bottles being hurled. Ironic that in 1992 Tear Me Apart would be adopted by the Federal Govt for an anti-alcohol violence ad campaign. They also completed a number of iconic film clips in that 1976-1982 period - even being a 'pub rock' band, their theatrical side would win out too. Finally, in 1990, when many Aussie acts of the era released that last 'big' LP (twas the end of the vinyl era too) - whilst also being the album that got me on board - Beyond Salvation - roared up the charts to #1 and blunted our earholes.

By the mid-1990's, times had changed, tastes had changed, and like many Aussie rock bands of the 1980's, The Angels floundered, finding it difficult to get traction with audiences who no longer bought LPs or saw them as dinosaurs, and the group eventually began splintering in to fragmented bands with the members each claiming ownership of the name, image and catalogue of The Angels. Even recently, Dave Gleeson (formerly of the Screaming Jets) has been singing for The Angels (and even released a couple of albums with them) whilst Doc Neeson toured solo.

In 2013, singer Doc Neeson was diagnosed with a brain tumour, thwarting any possible 'reunion'. Sadly, on Wednesday 4th June, Doc Neeson, quite possibly one of Australia's greatest vocalists and entertainers (at least up there in the top 10), passed away. It's moments like this that you realise your youth is long gone, and only the memories survive. For Doc Neeson (and the rest of the band - despite the angst over the past decade), the music will always survive. And so it should!

So please, raise a glass of your favourite throat gargle and repeat after me:

Am I ever gonna see your face again? No way!!! Get faffed. Faff off!!!

RIP Doc Neeson